Rocky Mountain National Park Initiative: Partnership to Reduce - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Rocky Mountain National Park Initiative: Partnership to Reduce Nitrogen Impacts

Lisa Clarke Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment 303-692-3117 Lisa.Clarke@dphe.state.co.us Colorado Environmental Health Association, September 2011

Overview

• Park Background

Park Background

• History/Basis for RMNP Initiative
• Ecological Effects of Nitrogen Deposition

Ecological Effects of Nitrogen Deposition

• Deposition values/trends
• Critical Load
• Critical Load
• The Plan
• Implementation Strategies
• Implementation Strategies
• Future Reductions

Rocky Mountain National Park

al Park Nationa ntain N y Moun Rocky

Rocky Mountain National Park Air Quality Issues

• Concerns

Concerns –Visibility degradation i h i –Increasing tropospheric ozone concentrations –Nitrogen/acidic deposition

RMNP Initiative ‐ Basis

• Petition from Environmental Defense and Colorado

Trout Unlimited ‐ Sept 2004

ID’ d i t f i ll ti – ID’s adverse impacts from air pollution – Nitrogen, ozone, haze

• CDPHE NPS and EPA began a process for addressing
• CDPHE, NPS and EPA began a process for addressing

these concerns

– The “RMNP Initiative” began The RMNP Initiative began – Nitrogen deposition is the focus of the Initiative

• Developed nitrogen deposition reduction plan (NDRP)

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RMNP Nitrogen Deposition Reduction Plan Journal article Resource Journal article estimates “critical load”(April 2006) Resource management goal established & endorsed (June 2006) CDPHE, NPS, EPA MOU (D 2005) AQCC Subcomm formed (S 2005) (Dec 2005) (Sept 2005) Nitrogen Deposition Issues and Effects Technical Background Document” (CDPHE, NPS & EPA – March 2004) -based on 60 peer-reviewed papers >80 peer-reviewed publications form the basis for assessing nitrogen deposition and impacts at RMNP >140 Peer-Reviewed Publications on the Effect of Nitrogen on Natural Resources and Systems

RMNP Initiative ‐ Basis

• Agencies support this collaborative, preventative

approach in lieu of legal/regulatory mechanisms that could be triggered could be triggered – AQRV’s In rement ons mption – Increment consumption – Petitions/lawsuits

Nitrogen Deposition Monitoring in the Park Nitrogen Deposition Monitoring in the Park

Rain Gages NADP B k t NADP Buckets Stream Gage Soil Lysimeter

Rocky Mountain NP: Continuum of Impacts to Ecological Health Rocky Mountain NP: Continuum of Impacts to Ecological Health--

• - At

At different N loadings, different sensitive resources begin to respond different N loadings, different sensitive resources begin to respond

• wet

g/ ha /yr)-

Current wet N deposition in Rocky M t i NP

3.1

N Load (kg

Mountain NP

1 5 3.1

N

Natural background N deposition

“weight of evidence” of ecosystem health decline on east side of park

1.5 0.2

Changes in soil & water chemistry Effects on aquatic animals (episodic acidification) ff f Surface water N saturation Changes in tree chemistry C Change in aquatic plant Forest decline (acidification effects on trees) Lethal effects on fish, other aquatic animals (chronic acidification) Change in alpine plant species Change in aquatic plant species composition

Critical Load at RMNP

• Large body of evidence indicates nitrogen

deposition has affected and continues to affect ecosystems within the park.

• Current wet deposition monitored at 3.1 kg

p g N/ha/yr

• Total—wet and dry—estimated at 4 kg N/ha/yr
• Natural background estimated at 0 2 kg N/ha/yr
• Natural background estimated at 0.2 kg N/ha/yr
• Current deposition about 20 times higher than pre‐

industrial levels

• Specific, published (peer-reviewed) research

has shown that wet deposition levels at the time the biological changes started to occur was 1.5 kg/ha/yr.

Critical Load & the Resource Management Goal

• The quantitative estimate of an exposure to one or more
• The quantitative estimate of an exposure to one or more

pollutants below which significant harmful effects on specified sensitive elements of the environment do not occur according to present knowledge present knowledge

• RMNP Superintendent identified 1.5 kg/ha/yr wet deposition as

the critical load for eutrophication (N fertilization), and as a park l resource management goal.

• RMNP has adopted a wet nitrogen deposition resource

management goal of 1.5 kg N/ha/yr by 2032

• CDPHE and EPA have endorsed this goal
• Four interim milestones (2012, 2017, 2022, 2027)

Loch Vale Nitrogen Deposition Reduction Plan Glidepath g p p

3 3.2 3.4

2032 Glidepath 5-yr Rolling Average Wet N Deposition

1st Interim Milestone (2.7 kg N/ha/yr) 1st Interim Milestone (2.7 kg N/ha/yr) 2 2 2.4 2.6 2.8 n (kg N/ha/yr) 2nd Interim Milestone (2.4 kg N/ha/yr) 3rd Interim Milestone (2.1 kg N/ha/yr) 4th Interim Milestone 2nd Interim Milestone (2.4 kg N/ha/yr) 1.6 1.8 2 2.2 Wet Deposition 4th Interim Milestone (1.8 kg N/ha/yr) 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 Resource Management Goal (1.5 kg N/ha/yr ) 0.2 0.4 0.6 Natural Conditions (0.2 kg N/ha/yr) 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 2026 2028 2030 2032 2034 Year

Rocky Mountain National Park

Wet Nitrogen Deposition at Loch Vale Monitor 1984 - 2010

60 4 4.5

Precipitation Inorganic N 5 r A g Inorganic N

40 50 3 3.5

ha/yr]

5-yr Avg Inorganic N

30 40 2.5 3

ation [inches] Nitrogen [kg/h

20 1.5 2

Precipita Inorganic

10 0.5 1 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Nitrogen Deposition Reduction Plan

• Outlines control options for NOx and ammonia
• Numerous source types (stationary, mobile, area)
• Best management practices (BMPs)
• Crop management & livestock production

p g p

• Voluntary reductions, BMPs, and benefits from

current programs are emphasized current programs are emphasized

Implementation Strategy & Continuing Evaluation

• Near term:

– Existing and planned NOx reduction measures are being implemented – NOx strategies developed – Agricultural BMPs accepted by the industry starting to be broadly implemented in Colorado Ammonia emissions in the process of better – Ammonia emissions in the process of better characterization – Modeling and assessment activities proceeding g p g

Implementation Strategy & Continuing Evaluation

• Longer term:

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– Ammonia‐reducing agricultural BMPs are being researched, field tested

• MOU agencies are working with producers (through the Agriculture
• MOU agencies are working with producers (through the Agriculture

Subcommittee) to implement BMPs that are shown to be cost‐ effective

– Ammonia‐reducing BMPs and emission reduction programs Ammonia reducing BMPs and emission reduction programs for urban sources and water treatment facilities will be researched and implemented

• Urban fertilizer usage research ongoing
• Urban fertilizer usage research ongoing
• CDPHE updating ammonia inventory

– Education/outreach to the agricultural sector, industrial d th bli i groups and the public ongoing – Additional NOx strategies underway

Implementation Strategy & Continuing Evaluation

• Longer term:

– Contingency plan approved in June 2010 – Deposition monitoring, research and modeling continues – Progress towards the goals, effectiveness of mitigation measures, and future needs being ti ll l t d continually evaluated

Rocky Mountain National Park Partnership to Reduce the Ecological Effects of N Deposition Future Nitrogen Reductions Partnership to Reduce the Ecological Effects of N Deposition The State of Colorado is implementing a combination of nitrogen reduction strategies, including engine regulations, hi l t d d d l t t l ( i vehicle standards, and power plant controls (or conversion from coal to natural gas) to achieve a 41% reduction in statewide nitrogen oxides emissions by 2018. A promising best management practice being developed by Colorado State University is an “early warning system” that Colorado State University is an early warning system that would advise agriculture producers to avoid high nitrogen‐ emitting activities (e.g. manure handling) during specific i d f ti h th diti ld dil periods of time when weather conditions could readily transport nitrogen into the park.

Rocky Mountain National Park Nitrogen Deposition Reduction Plan Partnership to Reduce Nitrogen Impacts Partnership to Reduce Nitrogen Impacts

Questions?

Lisa Clarke Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment 303-692-3117 Lisa.Clarke@dphe.state.co.us Colorado Environmental Health Association, September 2011

RMNP Website: http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/ap/rmnp.html

Acknowledgements NPS Air Resources Division Jim Cheatham Jim Cheatham Susan Johnson Tamara Blett Kristi Morris Bret Schichtel Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Curt Taipale Curt Taipale Mike Silverstein Phyllis Woodford